


Then and Now-Aleiah Hawke

by redlizard_rambles



Series: The Dragon Age Chronicles [2]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 19:01:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21723550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redlizard_rambles/pseuds/redlizard_rambles
Summary: The Story of Aleiah Hawke before Adamant
Relationships: Alistair/Female Cousland (Dragon Age), Anders/Female Hawke, Blackwall/Female Trevelyan, Carver Hawke/Josephine Montilyet, Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Dagna/Sera (Dragon Age), Dorian Pavus/Male Trevelyan, Female Aeducan/Leliana (Dragon Age), Female Hawke/Iron Bull, Fenris/Female Hawke, Male Lavellan/Cassandra Pentaghast, Morrigan/Male Surana
Series: The Dragon Age Chronicles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1565374
Kudos: 1





	1. Lothering

“The Grey Wardens left King Cailan for dead! If it weren’t for Tyrn Loghain, Ferelden would be lost!”

Bethany looked curiously at her older sister, as the two kept their heads down and moved quickly through the town. 

The encroaching Darkspawn Horde, not stopped at Ostagar, had increased Templar presence making the younger of the Hawke mage sisters even more nervous. 

Aleiah shook her head to pay it no mind. Right now she just needed to get these supplies home, get packed and get ready to flee. Carver was at Ostagar and should he have made it out alive, he would be heading home and they would need to be ready to go. 

Leandra, their mother, was a ball of nerves; on edge and snapping at her daughters for little reason. Her only son was on the battlefield where the Grey Wardens supposedly turned on their King and country. 

Malcom Hawke had worked with the Wardens before, even if he only briefly spoke of it, but he spoke highly of the Order, and Aleiah was unsure why the Wardens would abandon a battle against darkspawn. 

While heading out of the main of the village, further to their hidden home, Bethany paused watching a trio of people standing before the qunari who murdered her friends. 

He had been there 20 days, yet he stood as if it had only been 20 minutes. Aleiah tried to pull her sister away, but Bethany was frozen in curious rage. 

“Do you not wish to seek atonement?” The woman at the head of the pack asked. She looked tired, her leathers worn and flaking with dry blood, her hair falling all over the place. 

Bethany might have stepped forward, were it not for the large blade on her back and it’s matching dagger at her side. 

“Death will be my atonement,” the beast replied in his cool calculated voice. 

“There are other ways to find it,” she replied wearily, almost unsure of her own words.

“Such as?”

“You could help me defend the land against the Blight.”

“The Blight? Are you a Grey Warden, then?”

“I am.”

Bethany tugged at her sister’s sleeve but Aleiah was already paying close attention. 

“If we tell Loghain’s men, we would have enough gold to buy horses. We could get out sooner. Maybe even find Carver on the roads,” Bethany whispered to her sister. 

Aleiah shook her head and stepped forward, the trio already leaving the cage, heading back to the main square. 

“Excuse me,” she called after. The woman who was speaking earlier paused her conversation and turned towards her. The other woman, a mage as far as Aleiah could tell, scoffed. 

“Are we to help every villager who demands our attention?’

The woman raised her hand in silence. 

“Is there anything you need?”

Aleiah examined the Warden in front of her. She didn’t look particularly Warden-like based on the stories she had heard. 

“My brother was at Ostagar,” she began unsure to believe the rumors of being true. “Did anyone make it out alive?”

The Warden’s face fell, and the man next to her dropped his head in shame. Were these Wardens who had abandoned the King, they seemed very remorseful. 

“I’m sorry. I don’t know,” she replied and began to walk away. Aleiah sighed and turned back towards Bethany. 

“Miss,” Aleiah paused turning back to the group, “I hope your brother is okay and you find him.” She finished her sentiment with a wide smile, tears starting to well in her eyes. 

“Livia? Is everything okay?” the man asked. 

Livia wiped her eyes and waved it off. “Let’s go talk to the tavern and see what we can learn.”

Aleiah returned to Bethany, standing a few feet away from the qunari. Bethany was locked in her spot glaring at the grey giant who paid her no mind. 

With some effort, Aleiah pulled Bethany away, heading home. 

Later that day the cage was empty and the Wardens gone. 

\--

The village was burning. Darkspawn, vicious foul creatures, swarmed her hometown. The fires broke out quickly afterwards. Bethany and Aleiah did what they could, the Templars were long gone, so the Hawke sisters didn’t have to hide their magic. 

Hawke summoned another large strike of lightning, leaving a charred corpse, while Bethany cleared the path in front of them with a wall of fire, their mother shaking with fear. 

A loud shout and a Darkspawn split in two right in front of Aleiah. 

“Hello Sister,” Carver greeted, his voice always a bit icy towards his older sister. 

“Carver!” Leandra ran to embrace her son. 

“Mother,” he said, his voice much softer. “We need to go. Now.”

Bethany stepped forward to her twin, their eyes speaking where words wouldn’t do justice. 

“He’s right. The Darkspawn are coming.”

They ran and fought and ran and fought. Aleiah was exhausted. Bethany and Carver not looking much better. 

There was an ounce of hope when they met Aveline. Her husband Wesley was a minor hiccup; they didn’t have time to worry about Templars right now. 

Then there was the ogre. 

Bethany jumped forward so fast. 

There was nothing Aleiah could do. 


	2. Into the Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aleiah and Anders; always a heartbreak

“Hawke,”

Hawke internally groaned. What now? She wasn’t that bothered by her companion’s requests; there were just  _ so many.  _ Hawke never felt like she had a second to herself. She only saw the city she now called home when she was electrocuting bandits, or chasing down blood mages. Hawke had been in Kirkwall just over a year now and she was already so tired. She turned to the speaker, masking her face with polite coolness. 

“Yes, Anders?”

He blushed and placed a nervous hand on her shoulder. 

“I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for mages. I never thought I would find another soul so similar to mine.” He leaned forward, pulling her close with his hand and left a kiss on the corner of her lips. Anders pulled back, dropping his hand and giving Hawke a slight smirk.

Hawke couldn’t help herself and blushed in return. She wasn’t sure if it was from Ander’s forwardness or the fact that her “helping” the mages probably wasn’t what he had in mind. 

Sure she had sent the Alienage boy off to the Dalish, but most mages, Hawke sent back to the circle. 

There was a little voice in her head reminding her that she could have very well ended up in this circle, or Bethany, had she survived the journey. But Aleiah and Bethany had been trained by their father, Malcolm Hawke, most of these mages hadn’t known any training outside the circle. And were the Band of Three notes correct, and Hawke suspected they were based on her own knowledge of the Fade and the Veil, Kirkwall was not a safe place for mages. 

It made sense considering the history of Kirkwall. Slavery and death on every street, Hawke even had dark moments cross through her mind, but Bethany’s death kept her grounded; Aleiah would not see another mage die under her watch. 

Which was ironic. Hawke had killed plenty of mages that chased that dark whisper and listened to the lies. It was a shame really. 

Hawke smiled at Anders, nodding her head, before turning to leave. She had a few more things to check out before she brought the needed material and coin to Bartrand, and she was ready to get the hell out of Kirkwall for a bit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to hit the highlights of the world state going under the assumption everyone reading has played all the games a million times.


	3. Empty Nest

Hawke spent the better part of the year in a daze. 

Hawke had lost both of her siblings in such a short period of time, so the big mansion in Hightown was for nothing if it was to be so empty. Mother was happy of course. To have the Amell Estate back in the family. Hawke was happy for Mother, but the gulf between them felt wider than ever. Aleiah got her siblings killed as far as Lenadra seemed concerned. Carver wasn’t dead though. That’s what bothered Aleiah the most. 

He was alive and mostly safe. He was a Grey Warden now, an honor amongst warriors, and it would have made Malcolm proud, but Leandra walked around the estate bemoaning that Hawke took her only son away. 

Aleiah tried to stay calm and collected, regardless if she was dealing with her mother, insipid Templars or crazed mages. It was becoming harder though. She had been in Kirkwall just over three years now, and while she called the city-state home, some part of her wondered if she should up and move. But her time in Kirkwall wasn’t up yet. Aleiah just had a feeling that something big was brewing and she should be around to see it bear fruit. 

\---  
“Hawke,”

Aleiah looked up from her desk, where she sat staring off into the growing darkness as night overtook the day. 

“Yes, Anders?”

He stepped forward, that nervous look plastered over his face. She wasn’t sure if it was endearing or irritating. 

“Your mother. I’m sorry.”

Hawke scoffed loudly, the sound echoing around the room. Another damn mage that ruined her life. Maybe magic was evil. 

The mansion was silent now. No Leandra puttering about. No Bodahn or Sandal; Hawke had insisted they take some time off. Dane was with Aveline on a patrol; Hawke couldn’t take care of herself much less her mabari. Which may have been a mistake. Dane was often her shoulder to cry on, a companion to wander with, and didn’t make any requests of her. 

Anders stepped forward, his lanky frame half tucked in the shadows as the last rays of sun slipped from the windows. 

“Justice does not approve of my obsession with you. He believes you are a distraction.”

Hawke rolled her eyes. Oh, Anders. But a distraction did sound nice. Something to make her mind be quiet, even for a little bit. 

They stepped closer together, Hawke breathing in the musk of Darktown and Lyrium that settled around Anders like a shield. 

“Are you sure you want me here? Did you decide you wish for something more than a quick tumble with Isabela?”

Hawke chuckled. Isabela. The pirate had been a bit of fun, but somewhere in the last few years they couldn’t connect anymore. While once they had been close, ‘as thick as thieves’ she’d liked to say, Isabela was now a stranger. Or maybe Hawke was now. 

“It was nothing,” Hawke answered easily. Which was true, even if it felt like a lie. 

“When I was in the Circle, love was only a game. It gave the templars too much power if there was something you couldn’t stand to lose.”

Anders was now inches away, his breathing growing heavier, and Hawke almost felt bad for him. 

“It would kill me to lose you.” Anders looked away bashfully and Hawke twisted her mouth in amusement. This was cute, no denying it, but it felt like it was being laid on a bit too thick. 

“Enough,” Hawke commanded sharply and pulled him close for a kiss.

They fell to the bed, never breaking their embrace, and Hawke could feel the unkempt magic inside Anders. Justice. Or what was left of it. It felt raw and dangerous and Hawke couldn’t help but want more. 

\--  
Hawke stood by the fire watching the flames dance. Fire was always Bethany’s magic. Hawke never was able to wield it the way her sister could. She preferred the primal nature of earth and air, forcing her enemies to the ground and summoning lightning storms, drawing them back to the epicenter of her magic with a simple flick of her staff. 

She heard Anders wake and pull his robes back on, not turning till he was right behind her. 

“I love you,” he said sweetly and Hawke had to catch herself from laughing in his face. Love? At this point they hadn’t seen each other in months, and after the Deep Roads, despite saving Carver, he then vanished for almost the whole three years. 

“I’ve been holding back saying that. You should have a normal life, not tied down to a fugitive with no future, but I don’t ever want to leave you.” He pulled her hands into his and Hawke sighed outwardly, seeing no reason to hide it. 

“Anders… this was…” Hawke looked for the right words. She didn’t want to hurt him, but also felt like he was moving way too fast. 

Anders dropped her hands and looked down, a flicker of anger in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry. I just think you’re more serious about this than I am. Let’s forget it ever happened.” Hawke gave what she hoped was a sweet smile but at this point was too tired to care. 

“You’re breaking up with me?” Anders’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I… we talked about this. Everything you said, you… used me. I won’t forget this.”

Good. Hawke thought. Then leave. She was bored of this now and wanted to be alone. Aveline should be back any minute with Dane and maybe would be willing to go for a drink. Some of Varric’s stories might fix this carriage wreck of an evening. 

Anders left in a huff and Hawke sighed, stepping back and falling back onto the bed. 

There was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach and she wasn’t sure if it was guilt or hunger. She could really only fix one of the things. 

“Hawke!” came a voice, with barking backing it up. 

Hawke smiled and sat up, making her way down the stairs as Dane bounded up them. 

“How was he?”

“Flawless, as always. Interested in a drink?”

Hawke smiled sincerely, “Maker, yes. Let me get some clothes on.”

\--  
“I couldn’t help but run into Anders as we were arriving. Is everything okay? He looked rough.”

They had made it most of the way down the stairs from Hightown to Lowtown before Aveline prodded. Despite a quite familiar relationship the two women had, girl talk had never been either woman’s strong suit. 

Hawke waved it off, the loud chatter of the Hanged Man now audible. 

“I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, I just worry about you sometimes Hawke. First Isabela, now Anders… You don’t have a lot of friends and I would hate to see you lose anymore.”

“Yes, mom. Let’s drink. Varric owes me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the sister relationship Hawke and Aveline can have. So nice.


End file.
